November 2020

 

RFU Council is now receiving fortnightly updates from the Chief Executive and Development Director. RFU Council met virtually on 27^th November with CGB having met on 13^th November. Further meetings are planned for 2021 with CGB due to meet on January 27^th and Council on February 5^th.

 

 

Once again, both Jim and Ted hope that you are Staying Safe and Staying Healthy. We are, currently, trying to assess what Rugby will look like following the period of National Lockdown and a return to the Tier System.

 

Return to Rugby – An enormous amount of work has been undertaken by central RFU Staff on getting rugby back on to the pitch.  Staff have been in almost daily (and sometimes more) contact with Government and as we emerge from the latest lockdown things (at last) look promising.  From Weds December 2^nd we will return to Stage D on the Return to Rugby Roadmap. This is regardless of which tier you find yourself placed in.  The RFU is currently asking Government for further clarification regarding travel restrictions between tiers, use of changing rooms etc. These will be clearly communicated to clubs once known.   

It is then hoped that a set of adaptive laws will be approved by Government. In the New Year we should be able to operate the cluster system that all clubs received earlier this month and return to full contact rugby.. Obviously, the roadmap will be determined by the reduction in the number of COVID-19 cases and the further developments of vaccines.

PLEASE NOTE : the adaped laws are NOT those currently employed by the Allianz 15s (Women’s Premiership) – see below.

It is hoped that the Championship (Doncaster Knights) will resume on 16/01/2021.

 

Adapted Laws - In discussions with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) who also consulted with Public Health England (PHE) it is, not unsurprisingly, areas where people come it to close contact that concerned them the most about Rugby Union.  The RFU Laws Sub-Committee therefore put a proposal to World Rugby for adapted laws surrounding the scrum and the maul. After approval these were submitted to DCMS and we are hopeful that they will be accepted allowing us to return to contact rugby.

Basically (and obviously much more detail will be supplied by the RFU) the adapted laws replace all instances of the scrum (e.g. following a knock on, or forward pass etc. )  with a free kick. Secondly, if the ball is taken into contact then the attacking side will be required to make the ball available immediately (rather than allowing a maul to develop).

 

Future Competitions Structures – since the last Council Meeting the decision was made to cancel the 20/21 league season when it became obvious that we would not have the opportunity to complete a number of games which would constitute a meaningful season,  The future Competitions Structures Group met and recommended the four principles below which were placed before Council and passed by a large majority in each case.

 

1. A target date for FCS implementation of season 2022/23.

2. From implementation of the FCS: the size of leagues at Levels 5 and below be

capped at 12, the size of Leagues at Levels 3 & 4 be capped at 14, and the structured

season will contain a protected two-week break over the Christmas period and

protected weekend breaks (at points to be determined through the season).

3. That, subject to agreement on Resolution 2, optional National Knockout Cup(s) be

introduced.

4. That a rapid review of competition structures will take place every 3 years

 

The Group continues to meet and will place further resolutions before Council at the February Meeting.

 

Autumn Nations Cup – Final, Sunday 6^th December. 2:00 p.m. Kick Off – England v France – as you will no doubt have read in the Press 2,000 seats are being made available at Twickenham for this match which will include 400 seats provided free of charge to NHS Staff.  Sadly, if you are in Tier 3 following the lifting of National Lockdown you are not allowed to attend the match. Even though you may not be able to attend the match will be broadcast on Amazon Prime. We hope that by the time the 6 Nations comes around restrictions will be further lifted and more people will be able to attend.

 

 

Activities in November (Jim Chapman)

 

Date
02	Meeting with Andrew Soutar (Area D CB Relationship Manager)
07	North Yorkshire District Meeting
11	RFU Council Update Future Competitions Structure Webinar (RFU Council)
13	Community Game Board
17	England Colleges RFU – Board Meeting
18	RFU Elected Board Members – Update Meeting
23	Payment of Players Review Group
25	Area D (Cumbria, Northumberland, Durham, Cheshire, Lancashire & Yorkshire) Meeting
26	RFU Council pre-Meeting
27	RFU Council Meeting

 

 

 

Activities in November (Ted Atkinson)

 

Date
02	Meeting with Andrew Soutar (Area D CB Relationship Manager)
03	RFU Nominations Committee
04	RFU Nominations Committee Player Development Sub-Committee
10	North Yorkshire district Sub-Committee
11	RFU Council – Update Future Competitions Structure – Webinar (RFU Council)
18	RFU Elected Board Members – Update Meeting
25	Area D (Cumbria, Northumberland, Durham, Cheshire, Lancashire & Yorkshire) Meeting
26	Education & Age Grade Sub-Committee RFU Council pre-Meeting
27	RFU Council Meeting
30	New England Rose for 150 years - Meeting

 

 

Ted Atkinson & Jim Chapman

November 2020

October 2020

 

RFU Council is now receiving fortnightly updates from the Chief Executive and Development Director. The next scheduled meeting of full RFU Council is October 28th.  Due to current circumstances this will be a virtual meeting and will see the launch of the RFU Annual Report and Accounts. Details of how to access this are given below.  Community Game Board had a formal meeting on 19^th October.

 

Once again, both Jim and Ted hope that you are Staying Safe and Staying Healthy. Any progress toward a full return to rugby seems to be thwarted by the continuing pandemic and it is difficult to either report, or predict what is likely to happen as circumstances change frequently.

 RFU Annual Report and Accounts – this was presented to Council at the virtual meeting held on October 28^th and will be available from the RFU website from 29^th October.  It is a comprehensive document totalling 96 pages including reports from the President, Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Office and Chief Financial Officer. The main message to come from the CFO supported by the others is that, whilst the current situation remains very uncertain, the RFU is viewed by outsiders (mainly the banks) as a “going concern”.  This means we have reserves available and remain in a good cash position.  Obviously, the situation is being closely monitored but in Sue Day, Bill Sweeney and Andy Cosslett we have individuals who will ensure that the Union will return in good shape once the pandemic eases.  Council was confident that this was the case and commended the accounts.  

 Return to Rugby – despite the fact that some areas of the County are now in Tier 3 lockdown (with other areas expected to move to Tier 3) we still remain at Stage D on the Return to Rugby Roadmap.  However, please note that once players, coaches etc. leave the training area then local lockdown measures become effective. 

 The RFU made an application to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) at the beginning of October.  This was for a return to full contact rugby from the beginning of November. The submission went from DCMS to Public Health England and thence to the Cabinet Office.  Unfortunately, it’s arrival at Cabinet Office co-incided with the current rise in coronavirus cases and the RFU has yet to receive a reply. RFU Staff are continuing to lobby the Cabinet Office for some form of response so that the Game can move forward.  This may include the playing of games under adaptive rules in order to mitigate risk.

 League Rugby – a motion has been put to RFU Council to suspend all league rugby at level 3 (Nat Div 1) and below for this season. The result of this vote is expected by October 29^th and a subsequent communication to the game will be made (hopefully, prior to the weekend).  The Adult Competitions Advisory Group – which has been set up to monitor the situation, felt that there were insufficient Saturdays remaining in the season to conclude a meaningful competition and that this season be cancelled with, hopefully, a resumption of leagues in September 21/22. Once Council has reached its decision a full communication will be made to the Game

 Future Competitions Structures – allied to the Council vote is the decision of the Future Competitions Structures Group to pause its implementation until season 22/23.  This would allow season 21/22 to be a transitional season with final league positions leading to a revised structure.  Again, it was felt that we need season 21/22 to be a season that allows the Game to recover and that making changes to the Competitions structures is not in the best interest of clubs.  The Future Competitions Structure will be fully debated on 11^th Nov with a view to putting a motion to Council at the end of November which will ask Council to confirm the principles behind the Competition Structure proposals.

 RFU Staffing Structure – all RFU staff will return to work at the beginning of November.  However, please note that the RFU have staggered a return to full time work to allow staff, who in many cases have not worked for six months and who find themselves coming back to a very different organisation from the one they left to re-aquaint themselves with both work and their new roles.  The Officials of the County will meet the new CB Relationship Manager and  the Club Development Manager during November. It is then anticipated that Club Developers will make contact with individual clubs prior to Christmas.

We would ask that clubs are patient whilst we work with RFU Staff to develop new ways of working and establish relationships between them and ourselves.

 Communication – occasionally, we hear that individuals are unaware of communications issued by the RFU/YRFU.  Please ensure that details of contacts within your club are updated on GMS (which is the main means of communication within the Game). Also, if you are the recipient of information from the RFU/YRFU please pass these on to anyone in your club who you think should be aware of any such communication. Much better that people receive information on more than one occasion rather than not receive it at all. Thank You

 

Activities in October (Jim Chapman)

 

Date
02	RFU Council Meeting
05	YRFU – Emergency Committee Meeting
09	Meeting with David Roberts (Chair, CGB) and Steve Grainger (Development Director) ref County Championship Review
12	YRFU Committee
15	Interviews for England Colleges RFU Council Member
19	Meeting with Andrew Soutar (CB Relationship Manager) Community Game Board
21	Future Competitions Structures Group
22	RFU Council – Update Future Competitions Structures – Webinar with new Council Members
23	Competitions Development Sub-Committee
28	RFU Council Meeting – Annual Report & Accounts

 

 

 

Activities in October (Ted Atkinson)

 

Date
01	Education & Age-Grade Sub-Committee
02	RFU Council
05	YRFU – Emergency Committee Meeting
06	Meeting with Hamish Pratt
08	YRFU Academy Meeting Regional Player Pathway Group Meeting
12	YRFU – Committee Meeting
14	YRFU Academy – Stakeholder Meeting
15	Interviews
19	Meeting with Andrew Soutar (CB Relationship Manager)
22	RFU Council – Update
28	RFU Council Meeting – Annual Report & Accounts

 

 

Ted Atkinson & Jim Chapman

October 2020